A Blueprint for Resilience

Cast aside visions of cinematic underdogs; our narrative is grounded in the realistic, gritty play-practice-prevail interpretation of the failure-success saga. Indeed, the journey to success is strewn with missteps. That’s not particularly earth-shattering, is it? But before you offer a round of half-hearted applause, realize resilience isn't about recovering from despair. It's about adorning failures like medals of valor, woven into the very fabric of one's well-tailored offer.

The truth is that only action differentiates armchair theorists from real-world tacticians. In the crucible of experience, assumptions are tested: they are either validated or modified, leaving behind 'knowledge' that, until tested, is an untried hypothesis. Measurement becomes the coveted key to the backstage, where strategies are refined and perfected—without which, we're gamblers shrouded in darkness, hoping for a stroke of luck.

Action vs. Assumption: The Litmus Test of Reality

The most accurate test of any assumption is action. Knowledge without action is stagnant, unproven, and merely hypothetical. Through the process of doing, theories are scrutinized, and judgments shift. Each calculated action validates or modifies the trajectory of the next step.

In this context, let's consider Thomas Edison's approach to inventing the lightbulb, a story often oversimplified as a tale of '10,000 failures.' Instead, Edison's approach was methodical, consisting of a series of experiments, each eliminating variables and refining the path to a working prototype. His actions were measured, deliberate, and informed by each 'failure,' illustrating this principle in practice.

The Caution of Rapid Innovation

A word of caution against the backdrop of rapid innovation: not all organizations have the endless resources to 'move fast and break things.' This philosophy, often attributed to Facebook's early days, isn't a one-size-fits-all. Quick, reckless change isn't inherently virtuous, especially when it undermines what currently works.

With technology's relentless march forward, we must discern between what genuinely advances our mission and what adds needless complexity or induces passive, ambitionless doubt. We advocate for thoughtful evolution instead of embracing change for change's sake. Change must be intentional, and there must be a careful balance between innovation and the reliability of established processes.

The Road Less Traveled: Through Adversity and Beyond

Resilience is not about avoiding the uncertain path; it's about embracing it precisely because of its opportunities. Within these challenges, resilience is honed, and success is nurtured. Our blueprint for resilience demands innovation coupled with wisdom, decisive action, and a practical approach to execution.

Take the story of Apple Inc., for example. Post-2000, the company faced skepticism around its products and strategy. Yet, through a combination of resilience and innovative thinking, Apple transformed potential failures into staggering successes, crafting a narrative that epitomizes the value of traversing the road less traveled.

The Prevail Mindset: More Than Just a Buzzword

The "prevail" mindset transcends buzzword status; it involves cultivating an ethos that values setbacks as practice. This perspective celebrates every misstep's learnings and recognizes incremental victories even in apparent failures.

A prevail mindset isn't just about tenacity in the face of obstacles; it's about the deliberate cultivation of fitness within individuals and organizations. It's the acknowledgment that success isn't the absence of failure but the ability to persist, learn, and adapt through it.

Embedding Resilience in Corporate DNA

How does an organization embed this resilience into its very DNA? It begins with leadership. Leaders can champion an environment where experimentation is encouraged, and failure is not stigmatized but seen as a critical part of the learning process.

In such an environment, teams are empowered to innovate, knowing that their calculated risks are supported by a culture that understands the value of learning from iterations. Companies like SpaceX exemplify this with their very public trial-and-error approach, ultimately leading to breakthroughs in private space travel.

A Powerful Mood: The Unsung Hero of Resilience

Maintaining a positive mood amidst failure is often called the unsung hero in building resilience. However powerful the optimism, it can also backfire when misplaced. A powerful mood doesn't always mean a ‘positive’ mood. In fact, optimism can repel when a mood of rigor or discipline is more suited to the situation. While a positive outlook can be infectious, knowing when to buckle down is just as powerful. In most cases where things backfire, facing disappointment can be very cathartic.

Keep playing, keep growing, and stay influential!

AUTHOR

John Patterson
Co-founder and CEO
INFLUENTIAL U
John Patterson co-founded and manages the faculty and consultants of Influential U global. Since 1987, he has led workshops, programs, and conferences for over 100k people in diverse professions, industries, and cultures. His history includes corporate curriculum design focusing on business ecosystems, influence, leadership, and high-performance training and development.